Sanitary water closet



April 20, 1954 Filed Aug. 4, 1952 S. DUNER SANITARY WATER CLOSET 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

April 20, 1954 DUNER 2,675,562

SANITARY WATER CLOSET Filed Aug. 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 32 37 q 21 Jb 22 35 30 1/ Z; 2 7 1 3g INVENTOR 4/ i 35 5M jMZP/Z 26 29 J5 BYPatented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE SANITARY WATER CLOSETSven Duner, Chicago, 111., assignor to Duner Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a water closet for use in moving vehicles suchas railway cars. It relates particularly to flushing means for such acloset.

It is the primary object of the new device to keep the water closetsanitary, even upon extended use, with a minimum of first cost andmaintenance expense.

The manner in which this is achieved will appear from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment, in connection with the drawingappended hereto. Of course it will be understood that a number ofspecific features, described and illustrated herein, are shown only toprovide a complete and specific description of a preferred embodiment.The scope of the invention should be measured by the claims appendedhereto.

In the drawing: 7

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodlmen hereof.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevation of this embodiment.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation, in a view generally similar to Figure2, of details from Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of such details.

Figure 5 is a section through such details along lines 5-5 in Figure 3.

The apparatus comprises a hopper III which is shown as being integralwith a hopper foot ll, mounted by means of a flange 12 on the floor I3of the railroad car or other vehicle. A double pan mechanism is shown,comprising an upper pan or bowl [4 inside the hopper foot II, adjacentthe joint between the hopper foot and the hopper, and a lower pan ordraft closure l5 adjacent the bottom of the hopper foot I l. The hopperand the two pans are flushed by the opening of a flush valve l6. Forthis purpose a lever I 1 actuates suitable mechanism (not shown) toinsure the proper sequence of operations, which usually consists infirst opening the valve, then closing the lower pan, then opening theupper pan, then closing the flush valve, further closing the upper pan,and finally opening the lower pan.

The upper pan I l forms a bowl-shaped member with an opentop and is heldin horizontal position when closed. In said position a downwardlyprojecting flange 18 forming an integral outlet section of the hopper l0and inwardly spaced from the hopper foot I l, extends into the pan orbowl [4. A generally annular space I9 is formed between the outside ofthis flange l8 and the inside of the hopper foot I I. This space isrequired to accommodate the pan or bowl l4 and the opening and closingmovements thereof. However it has been found that this space, andequipment therein, tends to produce unsanitary conditions, upon extendeduse of the hopper.

In order to allow the opening and closing movements mentioned, the bowlor pan i4 is supported and pivoted by a shaft 20 which is usuallyinstalled in a back portion of the space H). For reasons known to theart it is practically necessary that this shaft extends through bothside walls of the hopper foot, and through the back portion of the space[9. Outside the hopper, on both sides thereof, the shaft is connectedwith levers 2|, connected through said mechanism (not shown) with theactuating lever ll. The shaft 20, extending through the space l9, formsan obstruction therein, and provides surfaces for the accumulation ofdirt. So does the top edge of the bowl I4.

Theoretically, of course, the entire space 19 and all equipment thereinis out of the path of the materials to be flushed out of the hopper.Actually, however, particles of dirt are carried into said space byliquid droplets, sprayed out of the column of flush water descendingthrough the flange l8. Such liquid droplets tend to drift into the spaceH), and some of them, with dirt carried thereby, tend to deposit on anysurfaces of and in that space.

It is important to note that the dirt, causing unsanitary conditions inthe space I9, is carried into said space by a mere spray of liquiddroplets. Recognition of this fact has led me to the thought thatanother mere spray, positively induced and suitably directed, issufiicient to overcome the trouble; in other words, that the cleaning ofthis space can be achieved by minor amounts of water, formed into aproper spray, while of course the cleaning of the hopper l0 and of theinside of the bowl It requires a solid flushing stream, not a merespray. I found this confirmed in practice.

I also found it possible to use the valve 16 as a source of flush waterin known manner, and additionally as a source of the required spraywater; the usual pressure for flushing being sufficient for the newsprayingpurposes, and the newly required amounts of water being minor.Basic features of the walve iii are known from Patents 936,706 and1,711,635 of J. C. Duner. The valve comprises a generally cylindricalhousing 22 secured to the hopper by suitable fastenings 23. One end 24of the housing is usually connected to a sourc 25 of water under apressure such as twenty pounds per square inch, and provides a seat foran inlet valve disc 26. At the other end 21 the stem 28 of this valvedisc is inserted in the housing 22 through a suitable stuffing box 29. Aspring 30 within the housing 22 bears against the end 24 and against acollar 3| on the stem 28 and urges the valve stem and valve into closedposition. Well known parts of the mechanism (not shown) actuated by thelever IT are adapted to push the stem 28 against this spring and thus toopen the valve. The water from the inlet connection 25 thereupon flowspast the valve seat, 24' into the housing 22.

The water leaves the new valve housing 22 through a large outlet 32 anda small outlet 33, both of which extend radially from. said housing. Thelarge outlet 32 leads to the usual flush fitting 34 in the top part ofthe hopper It". The small outlet connection 33 is connected with thespace !9- below the hopper. "r ltdsconnection is effected by a flexibletube: iihjoinedto the valve housing 22 by a conventional tube fitting 36and to the hopper foo-toy especial spray fitting 31.

The spray fitting 31 has an inlet 32 outside the hopper, connectedwiththe fiexib-le tube 35 by a conventional tube fitting and at leasttwo outlets 4t and ti inside the space I found it necessary for thepurposes described, to use these two outlets 48 and M. I also found thissufficient, with usual water supply conditions. Thus it is possibletouse a single compact fitting 31, minimizing the cost of connecting thevalve It to the space is.

I further found it desirable to: point the first spray outlet 40directly againstthe shaft 2!]. While water issues from this outlet Allas a more or less compact stream it is converted into. the requiredspray by impingement against the shaft 20. Since the region of thatshaft is the most obstructed and most unwnitary part. of the space l9 Iprefer tomake the outlet 4.0; slightly larger than the additional sprayoutlet. 4|. The latter outlet, by means of conventional tubing 42, isconnected w-ith'a part: or the space H closer to the front than-is theshaft 28. De.- sirably, it discharges in a tangential direction asshown. It is also possible to distribute themain part of the spray alongthe shaft. 211-bp a flared-out construction of the spray outlet Ail,which can be produced for instance by milling out said outlet in themanner suggested by Figures 3 and 5.

A further saving can be achieved byv utilizing the fitting 31additionally for the known. purpose of carrying away any drip from thevalvev 16. The usual drip pan 43 can be connected with the space l9 by aseparate: flexible tube 44. connected with the fitting 3.1 by a port 45.Thus the fitting 31 serves as a multiport unit, requiring only a singlejoint ie between the outside of the fitting and the correspondingopening in thehopper foot H.

In actual practice I found that standard tests of sanitation can be metwith the new spray device over much longer service periods than with- 4out this device; other conditions being equal. For instance the shoppingof railroad cars can be effected at intervals wellbeyond one year, whenusing this spray device. Shorter intervals have given rise toobjectionable conditions, without this device. The sanitation of thewater closet portion of a railroad car is one of the critical operationsin the entire operation of the maintenance shops for passenger cars. Ittherefore appears that substantial savings in railroad operation areallowed by the simple and inexpensive devices disclosed herein.

I claim:

1. A water closet for a moving vehicle, comprising a hopper; a hopperfoot; a downwardly projecting flange of the hopper inside the top partof the hopper foot, forming an annular space in said top part; a bowlhaving an open top into which the downwardly projecting flange normallyprojects; a horizontal shaft extending through the back part.oisaidannular space. to support and. tilt said bowl; means: to rock saidshaft; a flush valve for said hopper; and bowl; a. connection betweensaid flush valve and the top of said hopper; a. spray fitting. in the.top part of the hopper foot, connected to. the. valvethe. spray fitting.having. a first spray outlet in. said annular space opposite the:shafit. and a; second. spray outlet closer to the. front oi said annularspace, said two spray outlets. together, being smaller than said flushconnection.

2. Apparatus. as described in claim Ladditionally comprising a drip pan.below said valveand a further connection, comprising said spray fitting,between said drip pan and. said annular space. and providing a. portcommunia catively connected with said drip pan and said. annular space.

3. A water closet for a moving vehicle, con sisting of a hopper a hopperfoot; a. downwardly projecting flange of the hopper inside the: top partof the hopper foot, forming an annular space in said top part; a bowlhaving; an open top into which the downwardly proi cting, flangenormally projects; a. horizontal shatt. extending through the back partof said annular spaeeto, support and tilt said bowl;- means to rock saidshaft; a flush valve for said hopper and bowl; a connection between saidflush valve. and. the top of said hopper; a spray fitthiga in the: toppart of the hopper foot, connectedto the valve,, the. spray fittinghaving a fiarediacle and providing a first spray outlet in said .annularspace opposite the shaft and providing a: second tangentially directedspray outlet. closer to the: front of said.v annular space, said.twospray cute: lets, together, being. smaller than said flush.connection.

References Cited in. the file of this. patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS:

Number Name Date 525,104 Herrick Aug; 28; 1894 1,256,320 Holmes Feb.12,, 1918 1,290,615 McGary Jan. '7, 1 919 1,292,146 Taylor Jan. 21,19"19' 1,613,849 Riegel Jan. 11, I927

